The New Mexico Higher Education Department (NMHED) recently awarded a $691,000 grant to the nursing program at Eastern New Mexico University. 

Dr. Leslie Paternoster, director of the nursing program who applied for the grant, along with ENMU grants director Jo Laney, was pleased. She said Eastern scored highest and was given more than the other 16 schools who applied.

The NMHED specified that the grant money should be used to increase retention, to recruit, to bring in new faculty, and increase more nurses with their bachelor’s of science in nursing or BSNs in New Mexico.

Eastern’s program, which is designed to take registered nurses (RNs) and help them get their bachelor’s degree, has had a 224 percent increase in enrollment since fall of last year. The program is now completely online.

“We’re the little jewel in the eastern part of the state and the word is spreading throughout New Mexico,” Dr. Paternoster said.

According to Dr. Paternoster, ENMU grads are serving as nurses in 42 communities – 22 of them in New Mexico.

Along with scholarships for students, the money will be used to hire another full-time faculty, help to pay the recruitment specialist and to hire a retention specialist.

The department hopes to, in the next 3-5 years, offer a master’s program and develop a nurse practitioners program.

A study conducted by the University of New Mexico says that New Mexico is expected to have a 52 percent nursing shortage by 2020. 

Dr. Mohamad Ahmadian, professor of computer science, and Dr. Tom Brown, chair of mathematical sciences, at Eastern New Mexico University recently received a $575,552 grant from the National Science Foundation to use for need-based scholarships.

The professors spent approximately four months putting together the proposal for the S-STEM grant that will give scholarships to students in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Joshua Reeves

Job title?

Desktop Publishing Technician

 Brief description of job responsibilities? Update and maintain the Center for Teaching Excellence Web site; also to design and produce a booklet, and Newsletter for the CTE program every semester.

 What were you doing before you got your present job?

Student at ENMU

What degrees do you have and where are they from?

Bachelors’ degree in Graphic Design and a minor in Communication/Animation at ENMU.

Where were you born and where did you grow up?

Born in Hobbs, N.M., but lived in Portales since I was five

 What are your hobbies?

Golf, soccer and video games

 Other Thoughts?

I am very happy to work for the CTE program.

Danette McGuire

Job title?

Career Development Coordinator

Brief description of job responsibilities?

Assist students in clarifying career goals, researching employment or advanced degree opportunities and in successfully securing employment.

What were you doing before you got your present job?

Youth Program Director, National Cutting Horse Association in Fort Worth, Texas

What degrees do you have and where are they from?

Bachelor of Science, New Mexico State University
Master of Arts, New Mexico State University

 Where were you born and where did you grow up?

I was born in Lubbock, Texas.  I attended grade school in Hatch, New Mexico, and high school in Carlsbad, New Mexico.

What are your hobbies?

At the moment my free time is spent unpacking boxes and hanging pictures.  Actual hobbies include reading, cooking and music.

Other Thoughts?

Favorite quote –  attributed to Mr. Rodgers:
"The outside things of life are not the really important things.  It's our insides that make up who we are, that allow us to dream and wonder and feel for others.  That's what's essential.  That's what will always make the biggest difference in our world."

Mike Wuest

Job title?

Admissions Recruiter

Brief description of job responsibilities?

Provide prospective students with information about college, including scholarship offers, the admissions process and overall college life. Travel to high schools and recruit prospective students to come to Eastern New Mexico University.

What were you doing before you got your present job?

I worked as a President’s Ambassador for ENMU and I worked for the New Mexico State Parks.

What degrees do you have and where are they from?

B.S. in Political Science with a minor in History from ENMU

 Where were you born and where did you grow up?

Born in Riverside, Calif., raised in New Mexico

What are your hobbies?

Hunting, fishing, camping, outdoor activities, etc.

Other Thoughts?

Glad to be working for Eastern New Mexico University again and excited to find new students to attend here.

Dr. Dale Streeter

Job title?

Assistant Professor of History

Brief description of job responsibilities?

Teaching Western Civilization and courses in pre-modern European history.

 What were you doing before you got your present job?

I was teaching at the University of Tulsa and before that I taught at Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri.

What degrees do you have and where are they from?

My bachelor’s degree is from San Francisco State University and my master’s and doctoral degrees are from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Where were you born and where did you grow up?

I was born in San Francisco and grew up in Marin County (across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco).

 What are your hobbies?

I enjoy playing blues on the piano and guitar.

Other Thoughts?

I’ve lived in or near large cities for most of my life, so coming to Portales has been a very big change. But my wife, Robin, and I are enjoying the small town atmosphere and friendliness of the people here.

This summer I was the press intern for Senator Jeff Bingaman in Washington D.C. for five weeks.  I had never been to D.C. before, but after going, I cannot wait to go back.

I have always been interested in politics, and am majoring in political science.  However, being in the heart of our country’s political world made me care about my country and how it operates even more.

ENMU-Roswell hosted a reception for the New Mexico Higher Education Department's Capital Outlay Committee and area state legislators on Aug. 27 in the ENMU-Roswell Campus Union Building.

The NMHED Capital Outlay Committee holds capital project hearings on an annual basis at various campuses throughout the state.  This year, the campus of ENMU-Roswell was selected as a site. 

Pictured are (l-R): Dr. Reed Dasenbrock,Cabinet Secretary, Higher Education Department; Nora Espinoza, State Representative; Dr. Steve Gamble, ENMU President; and Dr. Gerald Burke, Chairman of Executive Committee, 2008 G.O. Bond D for Education